30/11 Strikes.

Lecturers are on strike, though I have no lectures on Wednesday so no impact for me there. My daughter is missing a day of school too but she is only 6 so no real issue there either. Possibly the most impact it will have will be the bins not being emptied (if they are on strike) so will have minimal effect overall.

I can sympathise with the public sector workers as it is quite a hit they will be expected to take, but at the same time pensions do need serious reform so I can see the government angle too. The bickering and misinformation from both sides is somewhat childish but sadly I have come to expect that from both unions and governments.
 
I will be taking part in the strike and picketing my workplace.

It's a shame that the majority of opposition to the strikes hold the opinion that because private sector pensions are naff, its perfectly acceptable to level the public sector schemes down. I suppose the politics of jealousy is whats left once the affordability argument has been taken apart.

Still I cannot blame people from not fully grasping the public sector pension issue, as from my experience, it unfortunately seems most people within those very schemes do not either.
 
Bear said:
Perhaps that is due to the circumstances in which they come into power and what they have to deal with. Lets face it, the last two times they have come into power have hardly been during a blosoming economy.
Click to expand...

And for long enough they supported Labour fiscal policy so it's no use greeting about it now. The terms and conditions were originally implimented by the Tories in any event.
 
Fenris said:
Yeah, once again public sector workers believe they are entitled to more than anyone else and are blackmailing the government.

Good times eh.
Click to expand...

Well that is patently BS.

They are striking because the government want to change the conditions of their pensions after some people signed up to it and have paid for years into said pension pot.

I am sure you would just say "no bother guv" if your employer changed a fundamental part of your package.

There is a difference



Edit: Also - the government are changing pension conditions even where it has proven there is no need to (some schemes are totally self funding) and are forcing it through regardless. This is the galling bit. Take a look at the police pension scheme in Scotland and how, even after it was rejected by the Scottish Parliament, central government are effectively blackmailing the Scottish government into doing it.
 
Last edited:
RDM said:
I can sympathise with the public sector workers as it is quite a hit they will be expected to take, but at the same time pensions do need serious reform so I can see the government angle too. The bickering and misinformation from both sides is somewhat childish but sadly I have come to expect that from both unions and governments.
Click to expand...

That's the difference between politicians, management, teaching and support workers.

Everyone has their opinions on things causing major bickering. Has to be done though other wise may as well all be robots.

Contracts are contracts, the government wants to change existing contracts......
 
Last edited:
RDM said:
Lecturers are on strike, though I have no lectures on Wednesday so no impact for me there. My daughter is missing a day of school too but she is only 6 so no real issue there either. Possibly the most impact it will have will be the bins not being emptied (if they are on strike) so will have minimal effect overall.

I can sympathise with the public sector workers as it is quite a hit they will be expected to take, but at the same time pensions do need serious reform so I can see the government angle too. The bickering and misinformation from both sides is somewhat childish but sadly I have come to expect that from both unions and governments.
Click to expand...

I'm not against reform, but this isn't it.
 
wordy said:
I am personaly, could do without it due to saving up for christmas. My employer argued that the nature of my job came under "life and limb" cover, but the union was having none of it.
Click to expand...

Don't strike then?

I've not really looked into it, but as far as I can see my pension contributions would increase £20 in 2012, a further £20 in 2013 and a further £10 in 2014 where the total change in contributions would have increased from 6.5% to 9.7%?

I will be going to work as normal.
 
Going in despite the strike as I lose a day's pay and a term's attendance bonus if I strike. Not exactly great ethics but I need the money tbh...
 
Biohazard said:
Yes. A broadsword. Friends brother is a swordsmith & blacksmith by trade.

I also have full body chainmail - that's about two feet too long both leg and arm - and I'm 6'1! Keep meaning to get someone to trim it.
Click to expand...

I've got a few swords.....including a ******* sword.

Chainmail is lighter than you'd think as well.......
 
Trifid said:
Don't strike then?

I've not really looked into it, but as far as I can see my pension contributions would increase £20 in 2012, a further £20 in 2013 and a further £10 in 2014 where the total change in contributions would have increased from 6.5% to 9.7%?

I will be going to work as normal.
Click to expand...

You also realise that you may have to work longer before you receive your pension as well.... An extra £50 all in may seem fine to you but what abut working 5 years more before you get it?
 
I quite enjoyed the moral crusade speech that my lecturer gave us all last week about the strike, however, I don't agree with striking as a way of resolving pension issues.
 
Richie said:
You also realise that you may have to work longer before you receive your pension as well.... An extra £50 all in may seem fine to you but what abut working 5 years more before you get it?
Click to expand...

Well tbh, retiring at 50 is a bit of a ****take......


However, if that is the terms they signed on for I can understand why they want to keep them and seeing first hand the kind of corporate pension arrangements and packages I can sympathise with both public and private sector workers when it comes to pension provision.
 
Last edited:
Castiel said:
I've got a few swords.....including a ******* sword.

Chainmail is lighter than you'd think as well.......
Click to expand...

Nice! My other is a fakey katana as I used to do bbd ninjutsu. Still want a Claymore & Celtic short sword but real steel isn't cheap.

Yeah the chainmail is good but quite impracticle due to the silly length but I got it cheap because of that, think the boy didn't know when to stop 'knitting'... :p

I'm convinced I am born in the wrong time in history. :D
 
Richie said:
You also realise that you may have to work longer before you receive your pension as well.... An extra £50 all in may seem fine to you but what abut working 5 years more before you get it?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say I was OK with it. It is a bit annoying as it practically counteracts the yearly pay rise. I was also looking forward to retiring at 65 regardless of when the state pension is.
 
DanTheMan said:
I quite enjoyed the moral crusade speech that my lecturer gave us all last week about the strike, however, I don't agree with striking as a way of resolving pension issues.
Click to expand...
Withdrawal of labour is the only weapon that workers have against a government that is cutting public spending for ideological reasons.

Take the brain-dead decision to sell the Forensic Science Service - the Tories had the consultation after they made the decision and every respondent in the criminal justice system has said it will be bad or disastrous. If the country had learned anything from Labour's PFI idiocy, you'd think it would be that the notion the private sector is inherently more efficient than the public sector is rubbish. But free market, blah blah blah - the Tories will continue cutting and have no interest in reaching a compromise.
 
Biohazard said:
Nice! My other is a fakey katana as I used to do bbd ninjutsu. Still want a Claymore & Celtic short sword but real steel isn't cheap.

Yeah the chainmail is good but quite impracticle due to the silly length but I got it cheap because of that, think the boy didn't know when to stop 'knitting'... :p

I'm convinced I am born in the wrong time in history. :D
Click to expand...

You are supposed to wear a dirty great padded gambeson underneath the Mail, which is maybe why it is loger than it need be....


And yeah, I was born to Tilt as well...:D
 
Castiel said:
You are supposed to wear a dirty great padded gambeson underneath the Mail, which is maybe why it is loger than it need be....
Click to expand...

I know!! I don't have padded armour but even padding it out with layers arms are still like 1.5metere long! I'm going to get a Gallowglass jacket at some point and get someone to turn the suit into a shirt to go over the top. Supergallowglass! :D


Castiel said:
And yeah, I was born to Tilt as well...:D
Click to expand...

:( Still have yi ya bam! :D ;)

In any event, unless the strike really hits the pits I don't see this being much use so we better stop derailing the thread!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom